More than its building

Downey is often described as being "freeway close," because we are bounded on all four sides by freeways. On three sides, the freeway cuts through Downey, leaving slivers of Downey homes on the outside of this square of concrete. Sometimes, we forget that these areas are Downey, too.

So today, I wandered through the part of Downey that is south of the 105 freeway. Here, I happened upon the Central Missionary Baptist Church, founded in 1964. It's a small, simple church, a reminder that while churches come both big and small, the church is more than just its building. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people.

"Church isn't where you meet. Church isn't a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let's not go to Church, let's be the Church."
~ Bridget Willard